Lettuce be happy: nourishing our minds through food

Happy senior woman preparing food in kitchen at the stove top

Poonam Maru, DO  is a primary care physician board certified in internal medicine. Dr. Maru is passionate about primary care, preventive medicine, nutrition and climate health – helping patients live healthier, longer lives in ways that are sustainable and personalized. She sees patients in the Inova 360º Concierge Medicine – Elm St. office. As we move…

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How to recognize depression and anxiety in kids and teens

Satish Shashidhara, DO, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. He serves as the Division Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Inova Behavioral Health Services. As the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have made all too clear, depression and anxiety are increasingly common among children and adolescents. Generally speaking, one in 12 young people…

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Inova opens Northern Virginia’s first EmPATH Unit to address growing behavioral health needs

Adult and pediatric ERs at Inova Fairfax Hospital expanded to serve more patients Fairfax, VA — November 12, 2024 — Inova Fairfax Hospital announced today that it will open the region’s first EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit, a specialized facility designed to provide a safe, calming environment for patients experiencing a mental…

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Inova Opens First Inova Cares Clinic for Behavioral Health

inova logo

Leesburg, VA — Inova Health System is proud to announce the opening of the first Inova Cares Clinic – Behavioral Health (ICCBH) which provides adult mental health counseling services to individuals who are underinsured, uninsured or have Virginia Medicaid coverage and are struggling with symptoms of mild to moderate mental health conditions. ICCBH is located…

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When a Loved One Faces Mental Health Challenges, Be Sure to Keep Self-Care on Your Priority List

Christina Barker, LCP, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor and completed National Certified Counselor Certification. She serves as the Manager of the Behavioral Health Ambulatory Program for Inova Behavioral Health Services. Mental health is just as important as physical health is. After decades of dismissing the role of mental wellness in a person’s overall wellbeing,…

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Surprising Symptoms of Depression and When to Talk with Your Provider

Chandni “Chunnu” Bhatia, MS, LPC, NCC, CMHIMP, is a licensed clinical professional counselor, she serves as an Integrated Behavioral Health Therapist with Inova Behavioral Health Services. When we think of the word “depression,” often times many of us get a certain picture in our minds of an individual closed off from the world in a…

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Men and Suicide: A Quiet Crisis

James Murphy, MD, MBA, LSSBB, is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry and psychiatry. He serves at the Division Chief, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Inova Behavioral Health Services. Who is at greatest risk of dying by suicide? The answer may surprise you. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, of the approximately…

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Tips to Help Moms Reset Their Personal Boundaries

Chandrika Balgobin, DO, PMH-C, is a perinatal psychiatrist with Inova Women’s Behavioral Health Services. What are boundaries, and why are they important? In psychological terms, a boundary is a mental line that helps determine what is and is not “okay.” A boundary serves to “protect the integrity of an individual or group or that helps…

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